Semer Water loop - 4 miles

Taken from the book:
Walks  Hawes & Wensleydale

This great little walk starts and finishes at Semer Water. It takes you through the hamlets of Marsett (where Brian Cowper’s son Tommy runs away from home in the middle of snowstorm in The Dark Hours) and Stalling Busk, through the ruins of the 18th Century Stalling Busk Old Church and a beautiful nature reserve before bringing you back to the shores of Semer Water. So if you’re going on a warm day, you can be like Harry and go for a cooling dip afterwards (be warned though, it is quite shallow for a good while and very stony so best to have something on your feet as you wade in). You can park on the lake shore and buy a parking ticket from Low Blean Farm (there’s a hi-tech honesty box, pen and paper system in place on the farm gate, although the farmer will often also come out to say hello).

 

From Semer Water, walk over the bridge and take a left through a small gate signposted Marsett Lane. Follow the path here through a small woodland, over a beck, across the fields and through a line of stunted hawthorns, you’ll see the lake on your left. Continue up the field until you get to a stile that takes you onto a quiet road. Follow the road for a mile until you get to Marsett.

Keep left at the telephone box. You should see a signpost at a left turn in the road. Take a left here and follow the track to Stalling Busk. Keep to the path as it crosses two becks on concrete footbridges. After the second bridge, bear left and keep your eyes peeled for a stone stile in the wall to your right. Cross the stile and continue towards a barn. 

Now I have to admit, this is where we went a bit wrong. Instead of turning right at this barn and taking Busk Lane to Stalling Busk, we ended up on the green dotted line that took us directly to the ruined church. It was still a lovely path and it took us straight to the church, but we did miss Stalling Busk, so you can decide what you do here! Once you’ve had a look round the ruins (they really are very atmospheric, with the graveyard and lake in the background), return to the path and this will take to the Yorkshire Dales Nature reserve at the head of Semer Water. The area is full of waterfowl and other birds, and we heard lots of beautiful birdsong.

The path then takes you to the edge of the lake where you have to walk up a slight incline up to a stile. Climb over the stile and you’ll find a small group of buildings known as Lower Blean. After this, you’re back on the public road which takes you back to your starting point. It really is a great little walk, not too long, not too strenuous, beautiful views, a ruined church, great birdwatching opportunities and a cooling lake. What more could you want!? This is just a brief description of the route. If you want a more detailed guide then I heartily recommend this wonderful little book: Walks Hawes & Wensleydale. It only costs a couple of pounds and you can easily pick it up at one of the many walking or outdoor shops in the Dales!